


I Am Ladybug (hiatus)

by Kulto



Series: MLB For U & Me [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Hinted Identity Reveal, Hurt Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Lila Rossi's Lies Are Exposed, Marinette protection squad, Miraculous Ladybug Love Square, Not Canon Compliant, Social support, but they're really good kids, ending commitment issues, ml salt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-11
Updated: 2020-01-29
Packaged: 2020-10-14 18:20:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 6,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20605238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kulto/pseuds/Kulto
Summary: Focusing on one of the most anticipated episodes in season 3 : Ladybug (I'm so glad it aired even if it's out of order lol), the plot will be a hypothetical: in the event Marinette doesn't get taken back into her old school and she makes do with whatever goes her way like the real champ she is ( ´ ∀ ` )ﾉ A slight self-care au.“I’m Ladybug. I can't let a silly akuma happen again because of this.”“This is how it should be.” She whispered to herself.





	1. Rain

Mr. Damocles had simply sent the young girl out of his office after his hour long lecture. After sending her out, his face was filled with some degree of regret as he watched the teenage girl's retreating form.

A drained bluenette entered the classroom and surveyed the place, just to check if there was anyone left. Only silence with the glow of the afternoon sun greeted her.

She quietly went to her table and brought out the books from underneath. With a heavy heart, Marinette slowly placed what remained of her belongings into her backpack from her desk, after seeing that no one stayed behind.

Wrongly accused. Embarrassed by the liar’s fake accident. Almost akumatized. Her friends’ worried disbelieving looks. The poor _ other _ Ladybug that was _ supposed _ to be alive. Small tears had spilled onto her pale cheeks, which had caused her to quickly wipe them away with her sleeves.

"Tikki, this really sucks, doesn't it?" She opened her purse. 

"Oh Marinette, this isn't your fault at all. " The little red kwami held her pinky tightly. 

"I know it's not but I mean it _ partially _ really is, since I fell for it ugh-"

Tikki quickly disappeared into her purse as soon as they heard the classroom door open. Exhausted sad bluebell eyes met with shocked emerald green ones.

"M-Marinette? Are you okay? The thing earlier-" His eyes widened at the sound of hard wood when she abruptly brought down her fist on the desk next to her.

“I'll be on my way." She grabbed her backpack and like a flash of lightning, she shoved her way past Adrien without even looking back. 

She was already feeling _a bit low_ and _sorta_ _humiliated_ after experiencing an indirect rejection from the museum trip and she's just been _trying_ her best to stay positive. But now, to top it all off, she learned that the Agreste name was somehow linked with _Lila_ in getting her kicked out. 

"Wait! I’m sure there’s something we can do! We could-" He exited the room to find her but he was a second too late, she was already gone. Adrien noticed that it had started to rain.


	2. Melody

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I think people do need a little bit of rain every now and then, posting this chapter on the same day as the first for more content for you guys! ^^ I'm sorry if my chapters are quite short tho XD pls comment or suggest some things you'd like to see as we go through this fic thanks :3

"Boy, help me move this chest. Where it currently is seems to be a wee bit- _ organized _." Anarka glared at the piece of furniture warily. 

Luka had made the chest slanted which in turn got him a nod of approval. "I'll be in my room to practice." By habit, he nimbly footed his way amidst the clutter in the hall his mother had left all over. Again. 

He picked up his electric guitar and held up a slightly weathered out music sheet. As he got lost in his music, a warm feeling filled his chest. His bright loving smile didn't go unnoticed by his younger smirking sister as she leaned by his doorway. 

"Come on you _have_ to tell me who it is." She gave him a knowing grin. 

He continued to hum along with his melody, feigning ignorance to his sister's teasing.

Juleka received a cheeky grin from her older brother as an answer and she simply stuck her tongue out in annoyance. "Fine. Though, you better let me meet her when you guys become a thing, deal?"

_ 'She's in love with someone else.' _ He reminded himself_._

"I don't know if anything will happen between us in_ that way_, but she really is amazing." The older sibling sighed.

His little sister gave a small comforting pat on his shoulder. "Well,_ whoever_ she is, the music you've made about her… makes it clear to me how much she really means to you. You can definitely count on me to support you, bro."

He closed his eyes while reflexively playing the melody that's been repeatedly stuck in his head- and heart. Juleka may have had an idea on who he was thinking about, but she chose to let him be and just _feel _his own emotions.

Luka kept on peacefully strumming his electric guitar with a soft lovesick melody while the pitter-patter of raindrops had begun.


	3. Ladybug

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's hard to do the right thing and we all know how much Marinette has to deal with that.
> 
> *edit: I'm hoping to do an update for a chapter every 1-2 weeks but hopefully nothing longer than that interval :3 I've got school to attend to after all haha!

Soaked from the rain, Marinette made a beeline for her room in order to avoid any attention from her parents, who were already quite busy managing the bakery after cutting off some of their store hours due to the devastating incident from earlier in the day.

She immediately shut the hatch behind her and let Tikki out from her purse. 

“Marinette, you need to get yourself dry or else you might catch a cold or a fever!” Tikki’s small shaky voice was filled with concern.

Water was still visibly dripping off of the teen yet she had ignored her own kwami’s advice. In one swift movement, petite yet trembling hands tore down the posters of the model and friend she’s not so sure she can trust right now.

_ ‘I wonder what will happen to our charges in this generation?’ _ Tikki winced at her holder’s heartbreaking actions.

“Are you sure about this?” She peered over her Marinette’s shoulder. 

“I’m_ Ladybug_. I can't let another silly akuma happen again because of this.” She paused, jotting down something really quick into her diary.

“Afterall, duty over feelings.” Marinette’s pained expression paired with her contradictory stern voice left the red spotted kwami even more worried than before. Tikki silently drifted off and watched her holder from afar as she nibbled on a biscuit.

Still damp from the rain, the young designer still proceeded to bury herself in sketches, printouts, and such to fill in the empty space on her cork board. The top portion was lined with her friends’ group photos and her family. Penciled sketches to colored designs filled the center and she had used spare fabric cloths to pattern the lower area of the board's space.

Marinette smiled warmly yet wistfully back at her handiwork. “This is how it should be.” She whispered to herself.

She removed her pigtails and returned to her simple old yet comfortable bun hairstyle. Even if was just for a while, her worries about Hawkmoth, Lila, and her _aching_ heart would temporarily wash away while she would take a nice long soak in the bath with some floral-scented candles.

It continued to rain on and off until the next day.


	4. Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Class is in disarray, along with Miss Bustier trying her hardest to handle things.
> 
> This chapter's a bit longer and we're getting ready to settle into more of the plot! Stay tuned~

Madame Bustier looked like she had seen better days. While her physical appearance seemed to be in its normal tidy state, their teacher was missing her most usual feature: smiling. And as an added oddity, her eyes looked a bit tired and… concerned. As if she had realized that maybe she _ had _ made a mistake. 

"Good morning everyone. I apologize if I may seem out of sorts today but let's get class started." She presented a smile that didn't quite reach her usually bright eyes. 

Their teacher went through the class list as per their daily routine. All names were present and mentioned, except for _Dupain-Cheng_. 

Alya, as quick as a fox, raises her hand the moment she finishes the roster. "Why didn't you call Marinette? Is she really expelled? Mr. Damocles can’t _ possibly _ do something so rash. She’s one of this school’s best students!" She rambled on. 

_ 'Of course she would ask about her.' _ She made another sympathetic smile. A few of the other students were sharing the same concerned glances from yesterday across the room. Adrien, in particular, was strangely focused on his notebook. 

"As of today, Marinette will no longer be attending this school. I won’t have to elaborate as to why she had left, the events from the previous day are up to your own speculations." 

Caline Bustier added with a hint of sadness. "I'll miss her too." 

"She didn't move away, did she?" Rose piped in with small tears forming in her eyes. Juleka and Rose pulled each other into a tight comforting hug. 

"That can't be…." Alya frowned as she slumped against her seat. 

While the class was in a bit of shock and disarray, Lila comes in through the doorway with a sullen expression. 

"If you're wondering why she's gone, she's only being punished for her misdeeds." The Italian girl proceeds to burst into crocodile tears.

Adrien breaks from his trance and glares back at her_. 'I can’t believe the principal actually went through with it.” _He notices how the room goes quiet and still.

"You're lying. She would never- _ ever _ do such things! Even Chloe knows that!" Alya spoke out as Principal Damocles stepped in.

"Enough. Miss Rossi, any more information about Marinette Dupain-Cheng's leave should be left alone. Proceed with the class, Madame Bustier." Lila suddenly pales and keeps her mouth shut. 

She settles back into her seat next to Adrien. "Thanks for the help, _ friend _." She inconspicuously whispered into his ear and he stares back at her with a look of confusion.

_ 'I'll be on my way.' _ Marinette's cold hurt voice replays in his mind. 

"Maybe you could help me get Marinette back? After all, we’re _ friends _ now aren’t we?" He hisses back defensively. She simply shrugs with a look of innocence plastered on her face. Alya's hardened stare is suddenly focused on the two in front of her.

The clouds begin to darken once more.


	5. Ma-Marinette.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while since I last posted :'( been sick for a week and I had to catch up on classes that I missed. A few eps have been released since then, and I hope you all have watched em :))
> 
> Anyways, without further ado, here's chapter 5! (I hope someone catches my Hamilton reference heh)

"Honey, will you be alright?" The mother held her daughter's hands firmly. 

"I'm okay. Really. Homeschooling will let me be able to help you guys out here at home in the bakery. Just like you guys needed." She smiles reassuringly. 

A small knock came from the door before they could continue the conversation any further. Marinette had hugged her mom to help give her some form of peace. 

"Go on Maman, I'll finish my study session and help out later." She urged her mom to go back.

"Alright, dear. Have fun with your tutorial session." Sabine winks mischievously. 

Her mother opens the door and in comes a tall older boy with teal tipped edges on his hair along with a black bag slung over his shoulder. 

"Thanks for inviting me over. Glad to be of service." Luka does a small bow then warmly smiles at both mother and daughter. 

"I'll leave you guys to it then.” Her mother had held in a spirited giggle right before heading back down to the bakery.

“H-hello.” She smiled at him sheepishly feeling her heart race and knowing full well how her face must be burning by now. 

_ 'Will she be able to concentrate at all?' _ She wondered. 

Luka settled his bag on the couch and patted the cushioned space next to him. "C'mon. Let's begin, Ma-Marinette. I won't ask right now about what happened but I hope you'll have me."

Marinette still seemed to be in a state of shock but nonetheless, she inched closer to him.

He reaches out and playfully pokes the bun on her head out of curiosity. "I like your new updo, by the way." A warmth blush ran across his cheeks. 

"Nah. It's nothing new. _ This _ was actually my previous get-up." She embarrassingly scratches the back of her head at his flattery. 

As she settled down next to Luka, a small spark of joy and peace filled her heart. The two teens looked at each other at the same time before returning back to the task at hand with flustered happy expressions. 

She felt a small ringing in her pocket but had decided to leave it be for now. The rumble of thunder came with the start of drizzling rain and she had left her buzzing phone on top of a shelf.

If she was going to have a peaceful moment, she was going to have it. 


	6. Akuma

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get to see more of Adrien's side in this. I feel like he does deserve the attention but he also needs to be more aware of things.

Given the continuous downpour from the weather, someone was bound to have an awful day. Ladybug and Chat Noir make a quick appearance to get the job done. 

The simple akuma had simple wants: to pretty much dry up the annoying rain that's been harming his plants' growth, by swallowing the clouds that came his way. 

The two heroes managed to draw the akumatized victim into the Seine and accomplished their mission. An embarrassed elderly man apologized to the teen heroes.

"Chat, are you okay? You haven't given a pun at all during the fight. It was pretty quick though." Ladybug held out her fist to him expectantly. 

His eyes widened and he sighed while returning the fist-bump. The beeping sounded off for the both of them. 

"It’s not something heroes should bother over. Personal life stuff, y’know?" He tried to regain his typical confident tone.

“Well, I’m going through some personal issues right now too. But hey, know that I’m always here for you.” She nods gently and they leap off into the distance as they part ways.

Adrien de-transforms inside his locker and Plagg zips back into his pocket. 

"Kid, I know you're confused and worried but maybe you should calm down before talking to Ladybug again." The little god mumbled warningly. 

"I _ have _ to ask her to help Marinette. She knows about Lila's lies so maybe-" The kwami flew out and gave him a sympathetic look. 

Plagg simply shook his head. "You know that's not in the job description, kid."

"Yeah, you're right- sorry, Plagg. Maybe I can just- nevermind." Adrien was walking back to the classroom even more confused than ever, wondering if taking the high road was a mistake. 

_ ‘Well, Lila better watch out.’ _ He plastered on a fake smile as he went back to class. 

It stopped raining.


	7. Bakery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I should probably add a tag for Marinette Protection Squad at this point, but you guys get the gist of this chapter XD

Since class was going to end early thanks to the appearance of an Akuma this morning, Alya dragged Nino away and made a speedy run in the direction of the bakery. 

Adrien was left behind and turned to Lila for answers. "Lila, what did you_ do _?" 

"Maybe you should ask someone _ else _." The brunette playfully feigned innocence and blew him a kiss before she left the school. 

"Hn." Gorilla urged him to go in the car. He gripped his bag in frustration while heading back home for his piano lessons. 

He really hoped that Alya and Nino were finding out more on their end. 

The two had made it to the bakery in a flash. Sabine and Tom exchanged nervous glances when they had noticed the teens enter. 

"What… happened?" Alya huffily asked while trying to catch her breath with Nino behind her in the same state. 

"I think it's best we let her explain. I'll check with them upstairs. Tom, keep the kids company for a bit." Sabine hurriedly went up the bakery.

Tom crouched behind the counter and offered the two a jar of biscuits. "You might want to sit down and talk things out. We'll be out of your hair while cleaning up the bakery since we know Marinette really needs her friends right now." He gave a rueful smile. 

"Come on up." Sabine made a reappearance by the doorway to the stairs and simply nodded at the two teens. 

Alya and Nino exchanged determined glances before entering. They carefully opened the door and saw two bluenettes crouched over a few papers. 

A slight creak from the door caught the attention of Marinette and Luka. The petite girl whispered into the older boy's ear, then he motioned the two to come closer. Alya's lip began to quiver, surprisingly unsure on how to begin the conversation. 

"I'll be okay, guys. It's my fault for being so careless." She tried her best to not crack. Luka felt the rift in her increasing sadness and gently patted her back. 

"Girl, you don't have to hide it." Alya wrapped her arms around the troubled bluenette. Nino and Luka joined in the hug to comfort their friend. 

In a fit of sobs, Marinette managed to sputter some coherent sentences explaining what happened. Along with the indirect rejection she got at the wax museum, a certain person had framed her for cheating and somehow Damocles caught them at the wrong time in Lila’s favor. 

“We’re here for you, Mari.” Alya knew a good chunk of the story but what really hurt was that she didn’t know how painful it must have been for Marinette to be told that Adrien liked someone else without him knowing how she actually felt about him.

"Hey, it's not the end of the world, you're amazing _ and _ wonderful. We know you'll get through this, Marinette." Luka lightly squeezed her hand, which earned a sudden squeak from the teary-eyed girl. Her entirety was exhausted but her cheeks still wouldn't stop themselves from burning. Alya gave a sly knowing grin but decided against teasing her already tired best friend. 

“We’re really mad and upset that this happened to you. Don’t worry about it, dudette. We’ll definitely get to the bottom of this.” Nino held his fist up in the air.

Marinette shook her head in response. “I can’t let you guys get involved in private matters. Right now, I’m just really grateful my parents aren’t mad about it. As you can see- I’ve settled for homeschooling just like Luka. And I can always help out here at the bakery.” 

“Oh... alright. Just give us a call whenever, okay? We gotta head home but we’ll try to stop by again sometime this week.” Alya smiled and surprisingly complied with her request. Luka stopped Marinette from raising any questions, as if he were to say, _ 'Just let em' be _.' She was reminded there was no point in stopping them since Alya' s naturally stubborn. 

As the two were leaving, Marinette sighed in relief since she found comfort in Alya's determination in understanding her pain paired along with Nino's loyalty in protecting his friends.

"It'll be okay. You'll see." [Luka](https://twitter.com/DAYbreak_Art/status/1192638138532806656/photo/1)'s remarks were the second most encouraging thing she'd experienced in that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The link on Luka's name at the end is fanart done for him by one of my closest friends :> follow my friend at https://twitter.com/DAYbreak_Art (her art deserves to be noticed but she doesn't know that ;))


	8. Chat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The events starting from this point on will pick up; I had to slow down the pacing in the start since I wanted to put more emphasis on how the incident affects the people in Mari’s life and well, her. 
> 
> Chat Noir(Adrien) finally gets to understand the full story on what happened.

A few nights later, Marinette went up on her roof deck to get some fresh air. She felt a bit better, and had some time to compose herself. It was strange but she was slowly getting used to this new life.

Even if her old life was in the school that was just a few blocks away from her family's bakery. 

Regardless of what went down, she still found herself smiling at the night sky blanketing over Paris. The city she wanted to keep peaceful and safe forever. In her hands, there was a vanilla-scented candle that burned brightly with warmth. She carefully put it in place.

“Hey, Princess.” A low voice spoke up from behind her. Blue eyes met with green.

She turned around and smirked at her kitty. “Hello, Chaton. What’re you up to?”

“Hmph. And here I was thinking I’d be able to catch this maiden by surprise.” He pouted. 

She simply giggled at the alley cat. Even in her pajamas, the girl remained unfazed by his presence. Marinette gestured to the space next to her. “Alright, my dear knight. Let’s _ chat _.”

“Pfft. Nice pun.” He stuck his tongue out. Adrien was unsure of what to say next, his usual banter with Marinette was different in comparison to his civilian self. Unbeknownst to him, his cat ears drooped, mimicking the sad feeling settling in his chest. He wanted to apologize and make things right with her or help her out somehow. 

“What’s wrong, Chat Noir?” Marinette approached him while placing a hand to his shoulder and noticed his mood take a sudden dip, “You can talk to me, okay?”

“....I saw what happened at your school. That Lila Rossi, she was the cause wasn’t she?” He saw Marinette glance sideways then proceeded to take a deep breath.

“She framed me. And lied about her condition to her advantage. As a result, I’ve been kicked out of school.” Her bottom lip began to quiver, and with tears shining in her eyes, she still continued to talk, “I even took out my frustration on one of my closest friends even though it was his father’s fault, not his. He would never ever try to hurt a friend. I’m the absolute _ worst _-”

Chat Noir pulled Marinette into a comforting tight hug, “Don’t you dare say that. You have a good heart and a brave soul. You’re always there for others. Especially for your friends. Just like… an everyday Ladybug.” A fond loving smile etched on his face with fresh tears forming in his eyes. 

“I didn’t mean to cry and now there’s tears everywhere, Chat.” Her eyes widened at his response. She sniffled with a smile and returned the hug ever so gratefully. 

“It’s alright. I’ve got some tears too-” He rubbed the corners of his eyes and presented his gloves to her. “See?”

_‘I forgive you, Adrien. This is more than enough.’ _ Marinette silently told herself while in the arms of her partner and friend. In their minds, both have reconciled and accepted the past. It's time to move on to the present and the future. 

It was late and the sky was getting much darker. But if one would look closely, they would see the soft glow of a candle between two teens; sparking friendship, forgiveness, and love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That Chat Blanc ending was so timely with this chapter.... damn my heart hurts. Gabriel you suck @_@


	9. (Your) Melody

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soooo I got sick again and that's why it took me awhile to update ^^; 
> 
> Anyways, I wanted to deal with what I felt should be the next arc to tackle which is: the finale but most especially the aftermath of it, since i'll be heading towards S4 territory. Everything from here on out is definitely gonna stray from what's canon-ly known so if you're not into that, i suggest moving away from this story.
> 
> I'm sorry Mari's crying a lot ;_; but the last few episodes haven't exactly been super encouraging in my point of view so of course she'll be having a rough time for now.

The whole fiasco with Miracle Queen and Love Hunter was more than what Marinette could take. Her heart and mind were in two different places. 

Heart-broken. Luka being there to understand her with his wonderfully soothing music. Wanting Adrien to be happy. Kagami not being as lonely but also willing to give up their friendship. The thoughts and emotions she had felt were all jumbled up.

“I know Chat Noir’s identity. Oh my god.” Marinette held her face in her hands. It was only about five days or so after she had talked with Chat/Adrien, that it dawned upon her how serious it is for her to not only be the current Guardian of the box, but now also to possibly know her partner’s true identity as well. It makes sense for her partner to be quite flirty with Ryuuko during the fight earlier today, considering where Adrien and Kagami stand right now. 

It was late in the night once again and Marinette just couldn’t find it in herself to sleep with any peace of mind. Tikki just rested on top of her shelf in a little tin with some soft cloth to keep her warm and well-rested. 

They fought long and hard today, physically, mentally, and… _ emotionally _. With Master Fu reunited with the love of his life, far out of reach and no memories to help guide her, Marinette- Ladybug the new Guardian, was lost. 

She stared at her locked chest, where the Miracle box was kept and covered by some fabrics for good countermeasure, just in case someone would try to pry into it. 

This wasn’t good, the stress and anxiety were piling up in her, she needed to _ breathe _. 

“I’ll meditate, maybe it’ll help.” She sat up from her bed then neatly positioned herself on her pink rug in the middle of the night. 

As she counted down while exhaling, she felt an overwhelming burn in her chest that caused sudden tears to run down her face. 

Right on cue, her phone buzzed, with tears blurring her sight, she took her cell phone wondering why _ anyone _ would need to call her this late. Bright blue eyes reflected on the screen, she immediately accepted the call and tried to compose herself.

“H-hey.” The simple greeting came out timid and strained. The boy on the end of her video call only gave a sympathetic smile.

“While you _ do _ look pretty even if you’re tired, I do want to know if anything’s wrong, Mari. Or you can just stay silent and I’ll still be here for you, if that’s what you’d like.” 

She felt herself crumble under the gaze of her blooming crush and close friend, “I don’t know how to be_ me _anymore, Luka. I’m trying to keep up with this new lifestyle of mine but at the same time have my responsibilities in check to the people I care about.”

A short silence grew between them, but nevertheless, the boy did not end that call. Determined to respond, he closed his eyes finding peace in thinking of what to say.

“...Do you want to know why I love your melody?” His blush and reply caught her off-guard, and she couldn’t help but visibly gulp. She still nodded anyways since she _ would _ like to know why.

He reached down from the side of his bed and held his ukelele in one hand while setting down his phone with the other. Slowly but surely, even though he was playing on a different instrument, sure, the melody may have sounded different but the feeling of it was all still the same. 

“No matter what you do, or what you think of, your melody stays true to its essence, Marinette. Despite having all of these ups and downs, you’re practically still doing what you need to do or want to be doing. There might be some fine-tuning along the way, but that only makes your melody more full and beautiful.”

She was left speechless. Time and time again, he was ceaseless in showing love and understanding towards her. “But what if I feel so alone because no one understands?”

“It’s not so bad feeling alone at times. As long as you have the right people in your life, then you’ll be okay. And if those people are still there for you, not even knowing the full story, you’re still free to share about how you feel instead. We’ll be there to lighten the load off your shoulders.” 

There Luka sat, with the bravest and most subtle smile staring back at her, “I love you for who you are. Whether you’re stressed. Hurt. Nervous. It doesn’t matter. I love you the most when you’re happy as yourself.”

With tears shining in her eyes, out of clarity and with no sadness in tow, she smiled.

“I love you too, Luka.”

As she went into bed that night, she felt really tired. But the good kind of tired.


	10. Hidden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everybody's gotta step up somehow. Character growth for you and you and just- everybody. Gabriel's still an ass tho. It's time to change things up!

“-I’m sorry, Hawkmoth knows your identity. It’s much too dangerous.” Ladybug said for what was about the 5th time today. 

Nino held out a fist-bump which was returned by the superheroine. “It’s okay, LB. I’ll definitely miss the little dude though.”

She hopped over the roof along with Chat Noir. Marinette decided her partner should at least get to meet the heroes that pulled through for them during the toughest akuma fights. As they were moving from one concrete structure to another, she found herself absentmindedly thinking about how amazingly supportive Chat's been lately to her.

She shook her head. Right now what she needed was to focus on the current task at hand. The last one was definitely going to be the hardest, she zipped over another building and landed on Alya’s window frame.

When the brunette let her in, it was somewhat apparent that she had just cried minutes before she arrived. “I’ll be fine, Ladybug. I understand.”

“Alya…” Marinette grieved this moment the most, Rena Rouge was one of her first hand-picked heroes and now- they can’t fight alongside each other for who knows how long.

She presented the necklace to her best friend for one last time. But hopefully not forever. 

“I… I can say goodbye to Trixx?” A glimmer of hope shined in Alya’s eyes. Ladybug gave a sad smile and nodded in affirmation. 

Chat Noir gave a thumbs-up outside the window, acknowledging that there was no sign of Hawkmoth or Mayura, for now.

Leaning out of the window, Ladybug looked to Chat. “I feel _ so _ bad, Chat. If I had just protected everyone better…. Then none of this-” The hero raised a finger to her lips, causing a bit of a stutter somewhere in the heroine’s heart.

“Bug, you did your best and so did I. We all make mistakes but the point is that we have to learn from them. You’re doing great just by letting them say their goodbyes, y’know?” He gave a comforting pat on her shoulder. 

Ever since Miracle Queen happened, he noticed how her usual confidence waned every time they’d meet. Adrien made it his mission to make sure that Ladybug would get immense encouragement from him… As a friend. 

Alya approached the two from behind and slowly returned her necklace. “I’ll always be here to help you, Ladybug and Chat Noir. In and out of the suit.” She flashed a strong determined smile.

A surge of comfort was restored in Marinette, she hugged the brunette then motioned to her partner that it was time to go. “I’ll hold you to that.” 

“Thanks for understanding, Alya.” He returned a cheshire grin and waved as both heroes quickly made their leave from the Cesaire apartment.

On the Eiffel Tower, there sat a cat and a ladybug. Going over everything that happened and the steps they had to consider with the assignment of new heroes. 

Chat Noir, all things considered, realized how difficult it would be in finding a replacement for the heroes, especially the time-related hero. “Do you think we can even find someone to replace the snake?”

“Ugh, that’d really be hard to find a substitute for. He really works well as our last resort in battle.” She bit her lip in frustration. 

“...Then maybe we don’t have to replace him just yet?” The cat hero piped in.

“You’re kidding, right? He’d be putting his loved ones at risk. That’s crazy!” She eyed him incredulously.

“I get how stressed you are right now, Ladybug, but hear me out on this. Actually, I was thinking if we use the fox powers to change the way he looked, _ right before _ he goes into the fight, then we could trick our enemies into thinking he’s a new hero. And this doesn’t apply only to him, but just in case we need the other original heroes as back-up too.”

“That’s- actually a good idea. I mean, it takes extra effort but it could work.” She gave a small hopeful smile.

As if on cue, an akuma makes an appearance, sticking civilians to the walls left and right. 

"Would this be a good time to test out our new plan?" The black cat hero winked. 

Confidence and light welled up in her as she returned a sincere smile to her partner. And friend. "Let's get this done, kitty."

The plan worked, of course.

  
  



	11. Gals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day well deserved in the stressful life of Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Merry Christmas guys!! <3

The girls all began to settle into their skates once Chloe shooed away the overtly hyper figure skater coach. 

"Is there something different about Marinette?" Alix quirked a brow.

Luka and Marinette gave each other a quick friendly peck on the cheek, a seemingly normal gesture by the French, but in the eyes of her girls, she seemed more confident and resolute as she greeted him goodbye.

While the girls were very aware of the interaction between the two, Sabrina could be seen trying to calm down the glare-down between Chloe and Kagami.

“I get that Dupain-Cheng’s nice but I didn’t expect her to be _ this nice _.” The blonde folded her arms in annoyance.

Kagami narrowed her eyes in disbelief. “I can’t believe she’d invite a bully. That’s _ way _ too kind of her. Is she possibly taking pity on _ you _?”

“Alright, alright. Chloe may not be the nicest person but at least she tries? And Kagami may seem cold at times but she’s honestly really friendly.” Marinette intervened. The two girls still had their backs turned on each other.

Alya held her phone up in the air, catching the attention of everyone. “Ahem. There’s also another reason why it’s just us here. After going through some fact-checking, I’m here to say that Lila doesn’t have a disease. She’s _ intentionally _ lying.”

“Lila, ill? I assure you she’s never had a sick day in years. No allergies or conditions either.” A short recording played out, Mrs. Rossi 100% confirmed that her daughter was healthy and disorder-free. 

Chloe looked like someone handed her a birthday present, and Kagami simply glared in disgust. Both briefly shook hands, coming to a sudden truce with the new leverage against their common enemy. 

In the background, Marinette was carefully skating in slow loops, humming since it’s old news to her anyways. “I say we let her be. Or at least make her_ think _ we don’t know what we actually do know.”

Juleka and Rose, hand in hand, skated closer to their friend. Then, they proceeded to offering her one large hug. “We’re sorry for doubting you at times.” The girl gladly accepted the hug from the two girlfriends.

“Marinette, I’d simply prefer seeing the Rossi brat get crushed. Why must we hold back?” Kagami aggressively skirted around the ice. 

Observing her newly manicured nails, Chloe butted in. “As much as I’d hate to agree, I absolutely am siding with her on this, Dupain-Cheng.” 

Mylene tapped Alya’s shoulder, “You got any ideas?”, the brunette simply shook her head.

“Trust me guys, we’ll deal with her. But it’s gonna take time. And I’ll be needing _ everyone _ to help out. Once we get her to let her guard down, we’ll be getting Adrien’s help and I’ll call in a favor from Jagged.” The bluenette winked. 

The girls definitely had a good time skating that day.


	12. Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I had to reflect a lot on seasons 1-3 for this XD but hey i hope you guys are having a wonderful day! :>

It’s the little things that never _ really _ matter. The bigger the lie, the better the story for conversation. The more interesting _ she _ becomes. At least that’s what Lila always thought. But lately, she’s only been ever noticing the _ smaller _ instances. 

One. A picture of the skating rink on Alya’s instagram story but it was _ only _the rink itself. 

Two. She could’ve _ sworn _ Mylene and Rose were hiding small giggles while she was talking about the prince and her next summer trip back at Italy. 

Three. Maybe Marinette must be on her side now and she just _ might _ be coming to her senses if she’s offering the class, herself included, a box of cookies to share every now and then. Though the bluenette’s always been quite the girl scout indeed. 

_ ‘Well, whatever.’ _ The cunning brunette would rather focus on gaining more followers for now. These tiny bits won’t matter once she has the whole school’s attention anyways.

Or at least that was what she thought.

On the other end of things, a green-eyed instigator hastily pulls Marinette into the locker room, just as he notices Lila walk out of view, for a quick meeting. 

“Adrien! You scared me to death! We have _phones_, y’know?” She rubbed her arm and pouted at the blonde.

While he laughed at her indignant stare, a wave of familiarity washed over the two teens. 

Occasional visits from the feline hero along with the weekly patrols, made the banter feel all too similar both in and out of the suit. 

Adrien cleared his throat, to avoid both of them reaching conclusions that they shouldn’t be bothered with for the time being. Other footsteps made their way into the locker room, causing both of them step out immediately. They peeked out of the room to make sure the coast was clear. The two teens ran to the corner slightly covered by the stairway. 

“So, the plan’s working so far, Pri- Marinette. Are we ready to move on to the next phase?” He asked in a hushed tone.

The slight stutter made the girl’s eye twitch just for a split second. She sighed. “Not yet. I’m sure Lila has her suspicions and we can’t go through with the next part until we’re completely out of her radar.”

“You’re right. And to be honest, Father’s still coming to terms with the fact that I finally told him about the time she forced her way into my room.” 

She grimaced. “Oh, I still haven’t apologized about the time I snuck in-”

“Dressed up like a Mexican boxer with a poncho to join in on the party? I don’t think any of us will forget that but there’s nothing you have to apologize for.” He bumbled with laughter. 

“Adrien, I really wanted to say sorry anyways. That was definitely uncool of me and it wasn’t your fault the guys were being total f-flakes that day.” She murmured and sat down on one of the wooden benches.

He frowned. Marinette was slinking back into her usual insecure nervous self and he didn’t want her to feel so guarded around him. She’s his closest friend after all. Mustering up his inner Chat Noir, he simply grinned.

The blonde gave her a warm hug and whispered, “Mari, don’t ever feel bad for wanting to spend time with me. We’ve made it this far and there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my closest friend and master strategist to get Lila out of her fake spotlight.”

Her face warmed but she still found herself genuinely appreciating his sincere and goofy but kind gesture. The bell rang, signalling that it's time for the students to go home. There was a clap of thunder that resounded from afar and a light drizzle began to hit the roof. She pulled out a familiar closed black umbrella and headed for the doorway then suddenly paused.

Adrien, who was following her lead, bore a puzzled expression.

Big bluebell eyes were all that he could see as she turned to him. She gave the kindest smile and offered her hand, “Partners?” 

His emerald eyes widened and his heart made ten backflips, yet regardless, his hand slowly reached out and felt a small soft palm clasp against his.

“Partners.”

Marinette shared some laughter with Adrien while they reminisced on the moment when the umbrella closed in on her, along with the famous misleading gum incident within his first day of school. As she walked him to his car, the very same umbrella decidedly closed in on the both of them. Their giggles and chortles doubled over inside the malfunctioning object of conversation. 

It felt like a lifetime since Chat Noir and Ladybug made a pact as the heroes of Paris. But this time, it was Adrien and Marinette who sealed the deal as true friends.


End file.
